[ Ngdo m .]
AND SUKGICAL INSTRUMENTS.
North, North Central, and South Central Galleries.
445
Th
left e glass plate is to represent the wind: spin it, to thes °utli 6n • * n a nort ^ ern hemisphere, to the right in the^ind ein> ^ give a good idea of the course of the^■ Q s ar °und the centre.
^ith n i nstnmient down on the chart or map,
Vith +u G P°^ ut engraven on the metal corresponding^nth 6 nort ^ ^ ie c ^ art * Move the whole iustru-tity ackwards or forwards, always preserving the iden-c iiart * ^ wo P°^ n ^ s until the ship's place on thef 0r ., ls beneath the hand marked “ ship’s place” —No. 1s pter e e noi 'thern hemisphere, No. 2 for the other hemi-
o r ^P *be revolving glass, representing the circular,and n' ^ c ^ rcu ^ a1 ’ gale, push hack the moveable centre4 &o T ot ’. an d beneath, is the centre of the storm nearly,berj-i a sailor then knows his duty, and will give it a wideacc °rdmgly.
t)i e ? Te -—The use of the several holes along the arms inthe : rans parent horn marked “ship’s place” is to adaptt^at tlf truinen t t0 an y scale 011 a °b art —hearing in mindDado • USua l diameter of one of these hurricanes or tor-es is about 300 to 500 miles in extent.
-E 1
—Suppose, in a southern hemisphere, in lat. 19°,eu CQ or, g- 60 3 30 ' E., the barometer is falling, a swell isof t , u *ered, and the wind is S.S.E. Place the red armtOead lustru ment at S.S.E. on the ring, lay the instru-4i ail T 1 T'e chart, with the north point on to the meri-of Ae arm No. 2 at the ship’s place. The vortex] j to x; e § a le is E.N.E. of the ship; and, as its path is ap-' f °nld ate ^ hnown, the most violent part of the hurricaneA Sail sw eep over the ship if it remained in that place,froiu 0l ’ w iU immediately get out of its way as he wouldAga' aan & erous reef.
a ship coming from India towards Mauritius ,a trou,,® sarne spot, had encountered a N.W. wind and'liately ] sea ’ tke intelligent commander would imme-Ce Dtre y ° w . that he was coming up to a hurricane, thes Ued p* ^hich was south-west of him ; and if he pur-the S ? 0urse > an< ^ did not wait a few hours, he wouldc irc Uln ris h of foundering. In a northern latitude the
fl'flv. tailCeS flVP inot onnnC1 to Tlio fAll/mriniv avtivuiii!
t i lances are just opposite. The following exiv e Nautical Magazine for September 1849, fn
extractsom a
1 *‘-SS C\t 1 V VCllltll , Will ollv VT 11UW LUC lloC ClliU |I1 U“
lu hian • ™ es . e terrific gales may be made subservient to“ 'p. "Jtelligence:—
• Mil “ e “ ist °ry°f our first few days' adventures at sea,the * ar to illustrate the perfect truth and beauty ofs hip .? r y of circular storms. We sailed in our excellent4th. Q-p ^* r Robert Seppings , on Wednesday afternoon,ofApril. The gentle breeze just served to waft us1)0011 of tR skores > "when it so far failed us, that even at“ J; x tae . n ext day we yet discerned Round Island,
1° 0 °toni e P tin g our ' ack °* trind (which we had not long. a t ver^ 111 , °t)> the weather was most lovely and serene,111 ' p ith a > 'uid our next day (Friday) was ushered>u f,. m °® t magnificent sunrise, very calm, but a heavyJPathy south-east. The day was passed in listless
V e 2e ga 11611 at ^ ark > a c ^ ear moon an A a fine and fairvt? s iiip^ 6 US some energy, and gratified our best wishes.
°'sper. lnor eased her speed. The increase from a gentlew^Aeniy t a ra Pid gurgle of the water, and from that rather, l ttt tho’- 0 a continuous roar beneath the stern windows,sniv'i C1 j ease ^ m °tion and the clank of the tiller-th ^ a PPare fi oar slvimbers. A look out on the lovely- 0 jhoon va milt * night) showed enough in the haze ofdi S ln g sci ] ^ le “ hurr” of the planets, with a fleetly-0 n Sc . 0t nfort ^ to c °nvince us that our dreams of mortallig] lt "’ ere about to be realized. However, Satur-h °tt h y Cq a Ppeared with a spanking breeze, and ouryled, aa j tnander in good spirits, with the ship close-h a , ar d thou 1 }?™ 111 ® to s P are - Whatever might be ourp' n g so „ ®“* s , tve all appeared extremely lively in
do * Vould eXpectedI y foun T‘he trades. *
"(is, an j n °t do: the increasing gale, the heavytold atl A hu • , murk y gl°om to the south-east, the on-the Us that Wle<1 ’ an< ^ even turious, career of the scud,tttnles • m ust prepare. There were no signs of> and the tremendous and irregular sea, the
inexplicable heaping up of the troubled waves, the roarand whistling through the rigging, and the labouring ofthe ship, spoke to all our perilous position. It was be-coming so, at least; for although we were to windward ofthe Island of Cargados Garajs, and the intricate banks,we bad run on sufficiently to make the heart of them alee-shore; not so close as to make it an immediate causeof anxiety, but sufficiently near to leave us little choicefor shaping our course in an approaching hurricane, ofwhich, by the direction of the wind, we knew we werethen steering for the centre.
“ The beautiful precision of Col. Reid’s theory, so wellworked up, and supported by Messrs. Thom’s and Pid-dington’s labours, was now about to undergo a severe andpractical test, through the very means they have soanxiously desired and invited, namely, the judgment andintelligence of a daring English sailor. We consulted theHorn card on the chart, and, with a radius of 400 milesfor the hurricane, asked his advice. He gave it to us nobly.Our commander, Captain Stuart, saw his position and theapproaching peril, and that he would be “ hobbled.” Heknew his ship, too, and, after consulting the elements,computing the time he required to get a clear sea way,and asking his barometer leave, away he stood boldly on.All precautions were in the mean time taken—hatchesdown, dead-lights, &e., in, masts and yards housed, andall made snug, and the lower rigging of the heavy mastssecured by preventers and frapped (swifted). So passedSunday ; we could keep our course no longer; the furiousgusts and the mountains of seas overwhelmed us; itwould have been madness to stand on any longer; oneobject was attained—we had secured ample sea room. Apull at the weather braces, and a rather easing the leeones, made a fair wind of our dreaded enemy, and, withall necessary and seamanlike precaution, away we wentby a N.N.E. course, for the outer edge or limit of thefearful sway of the gathering storm. An extract fromCaptain Stuart’s log, a copy of which I send you, willshow how we made a fair wind and a true course towardsour destination with such means ; it will show, in fact,how we employed a wind from south-east, or S.E. b^ E.,to very nearly south, going round by the west, and with aprecision and confidence quite wonderful even in thesetimes. I observed sufficient to find that it was a gale ex-tending to a great radius, permitting us as it did to standon so long.”
Extract from the Sir R. Seppings’ Log.
Saturday, 7th April, 1849—In moderate breezes fromthe eastward and fine weather. Ship under all sail. At4 A. M. ditto, ditto. At 8 A. m. ditto ditto. Meridian,fresh breezes and cloudy, with a strong S.E. swell, lat.17° 50’, long, chron. 59° 10’, bar. 29° 90 1 ; at 4 p.m. freshbreezes, unsettled looking weather; at 8 p. m. ditto.Single reefed the topsails ; at midnight strong breezes fromthe S.E.; squally; bar. 29° 90'.
Sunday, 8th—Commences with strong breezes, andpuffy, and a very threatening appearance to the south ;bar. 29° 85'; in, topgallant sails and double reefed top-sails. At 8 A. M. fresh gales, with a heavy confused sea ;stowed the mainsail, jib, and mizen; ship labouring andstraining heavily. Meridian, strong gales with heavysqualls of wind and rain ; close-reefed topsails, sent downroyal yards; every appearance of a hurricane raging tothe southward. Shaped course N.N. E., lat 16° 58',long, chron. 60° 15'; bar. 29° 80'. p.m. Strong gales withheavy squalls and rain, a confused cross. sea running,causing the ship to strain and labour heavily; at 8 p. m.ditto weather. Midnight—still blowing hard in squalls,and the appearance of the sky very threatening.
Monday, 9th—Strong gales continued, and very threat-ening weather; at 8 a.m. bar. 29° 90 1 . At noon a moresettled appearance; windatS.W.; shaped course E.N.E.,sounded on the Cargados Bank with Erickson s patentmachine; 18 fathoms water; lat. obs. 14° 30', long,chron. 60° 48', E. bar. 29° 90'. p. m. 9th. The weatherat 4 p m. again assuming a threatening appearance, andbarometer falling to 29° 75'; every indication of a severehurricane blowing to the S. W.; heavy wild-looking